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The
Squamidian Report – Nov. 29 / 25
Online
Versions
Of This And Past Issues Issue
#1227
Gale ****
From Gale
Rosemary and Carol got me thinking about phobias both mild and severe. We probably all have some mild phobias that may cause us some anxiety or mild panic attacks. For me, that would be a visit to the dentist (but I still go), closed in spaces (but I still close the curtains if need be), water over my waist (life jackets !) and insects, spiders etc. (but I can deal with them, again, if need be). However, when it comes to snakes, for me that is a severe phobia and no amount of rational thinking will fix that and, yes, Carol is right, if Fred had been a snake, the "For Sale" sign would have gone up licketty- split. Just the word itself will keep me from doing a crossword puzzle or not read a book. I have been known to tear the cover off a brand new book before I could read it if it had a drawing of a snake. If I go for a walk in our woods and see one, I turn and run the other way no matter how far. I also stomp as I walk hoping the vibration will keep them away. On one such walk with Maggie, I basically bowled her over in my effort to escape. So, why snakes ? I think it goes back to my early encounters with snakes that still make me shudder when I think about them. I remember on the Hockridge farm a cow that would regularly wander down to the creek so the milk snakes could latch on to her teats (shudder). At the homestead, I stepped on a snake "ball" of entwined, wreathing baby snakes (shudder). I startled a family and stood frozen as the baby snakes all slithered into the mother's mouth for protection (shudder). When I first got my driving license, I had to drive over a section of the road about two car lengths that was totally covered with snakes crossing. Naturally I screamed, took my hands off the wheel, my feet off the pedals and would have levitated if possible. I have had many other "shudders" over the years hence the phobia. However, I am getting pretty good at avoiding snake situations and, when I can't, I've become a top-notch screamer.
Gale ****
From Gary
Hello fellow Squamidians. Looks like we might get our 2 nd taste of winter over the next few days. So far just really windy and above freezing daytime temperatures. In response to Carol’s challenge a story from our youth. I was probably 15 and Tim 14. One summer day we decided to walk to downtown Kitchener. Not looking for trouble but game for whatever comes our way. As we roamed around our group grew in size to 10 or so kids. Somehow the group split in 2 and Tim and I got separated. I don’t think either of us realized we were separated at first. After wondering around looking for Tim one of the guys ran up to me and said Tim had been arrested and was in jail. Dad was a draftsman for uncle Wayne’s survey company and the office was nearby. Shaking in my shoes I went to tell dad. He grilled me like I was a spy. He didn’t believe me that I had no idea what happened. Finally he said to get in the car and we went to the police station. He talked to the desk clerk and finally they were ushering us in. I was so excited to see actual criminals behind bars even if one was my brother. Then dad turned to me and said wait here. They were gone for a long time. Eventually they came out. No one said a word. We drove home in silence. I was waiting for the hammer to fall. Nothing, not a word! Finally Tim and I got alone so I asked him what happened. He said what do you mean? I told him about how dad grilled me but I didn’t crack, any secrets we had were safe. Tim said he just asked him what he had done and Tim said nothing. He had no idea why he was arrested. Dad apparently went to the arresting officer and said Tim did nothing wrong. The cop said how do you know that? Dad said because Tim said so, now drop any charges and release him. The cops did and that was the end of it. I was scared sh#^*€less and Tim said it was fun, finally some excitement. Stay safe everyone.
Gary ****
From Carol
The weather was fairly nice last weekend so many people took advantage of the fact and put up their Christmas decorations. Driving at night through residential neighborhoods is really enjoyable now. I don’t believe too many will be out this weekend as we had a very heavy snowfall in Kitchener and the white stuff is still coming down. They are predicting below freezing temperatures and ongoing snow flurries for the next 2 weeks so our early winter could be here to stay. Time to start hibernating. I was asked the question “if you could travel to any time or place safely where would you go?” I’m not sure if there is a time or place in human history that can be considered truly safe. If natural disasters and diseases aren’t bad enough we humans have a habit of killing each other. Now if I could be invisible while walking among history that would be a different matter. I often think while walking in the older Kitchener neighborhoods that it would be fun to see the homes circa 1900 and wouldn’t it be interesting to listen to the sermon on the Mount in person, if one spoke Jesus’ language. But what I would really like to do is drop in on my parents when they were young and then their parents, grandparents, great grandparents etc. while all were young. It would be interesting to know my background in person, see where and how my ancestors lived. So I have another challenge for my fellow readers. Tell us how you would answer that any time and place question. Have a good one.
Carol ****
From Doug
I’m a bit late in responding to Carol’s challenge to write about a memory but here goes. Its interesting what will trigger a memory…. Way back in 1972, I picked up my brand new ‘72 Toyota Land Cruiser. It was big and beefy and boxy and four wheel driver and shiny red and sat high on treaded tires. And, it had that ‘new vehicle’ smell. This was in the days of cruising the drag with your radio blasting and the windows down so all could hear that you were playing the same tunes they were. So, most likely, even before pulling off the lot with my new machine I would have set the radio to the local station, CHYM. And, assumably, one of the first songs to come through that radio must have been ‘Sylvia’s Mother’ by Doctor Hook and the Medicine Show, as I will explain. And by the way, I don’t recall if I actually liked that song or not but many of us got a kick out of it for whatever silly reasons. Now, fast forward all these decades. I seldom listen to the radio. I can’t stand the crap that is played endlessly over and over. Even the type of music I would have enjoyed back then has morphed into commercial diarrhea and the airwaves are inundated with putrid stuff that is beyond how bad noise can be. There is however some Stingray channels on my TV that play the old material, a channel for each category, classical, classic country, folk, jukebox oldies, 60’s, 70’s, and so on. I clicked over to the 70’s channel and on came the ‘Sylvia’s Mother’ song. Instantly my head was full of that new vehicle smell and I could see and feel that first drive in my big beefy machine. I shut my eyes and I was THERE. I wish I could have stayed there but that is not reality but wow, that was a nice memory. * Hey, guess what! This was kind of short notice for us but Jane and I are playing up at the gondola today. The possibility to play there came about because of that little world famous garage concert we did back in September. A couple of gondola employees had attended and had spread the word, and the word reached the events person and the conversation started and so on. I’ll let you know how it went. And now, for your musical and entertainment enjoyment I have another recording by myself and Jane. The more astute of you who have a good memory just might find it somewhat familiar, from about 10 years ago. You see, this is one of the songs I wrote, a ‘Doug Original’, called ‘Squamish Winds’. I did this song for a few years and then moved on. As Jane and I look for material to sing and play, we came across it and decided to give it a try. In my opinion it turned out quite nice. Having new fresh voicing in it has given it new life. So, give it a listen and add it to your memories. Doug ****
Have
a
Good One
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